Speaking at a presser in Vahdat Hall on Saturday, the commissioner said in collaboration with Ayandeh Bank, Iran’s pavilion will showcase selected artworks by ‪Samira Alikhanzadeh, ‪Reza Lavassani and ‪Ali Meer Azimi at this year’s international art event.

He added: This is the 8th time that Iran participates in the Venice Biennale over the last 116 years. It’s all about showing what the artistic community of the participating country has done in two years. We are taking part despite US sanctions and restrictions and the fact that some countries refuse to have normal relations with Iran’s artistic community because of pressures. At this year’s event we will speak to the world about peace and friendship and through the medium of art.

He further said: Some 30 jury members chose the three artists to represent Iran in Venice. We also made sure this would include a female artist and another artist from provincial areas. A number of books about Iranian artists will also be given to the Venice Library.

According to Mozaffari, Ayandeh Bank is the sponsor of Iran’s pavilion which was also behind organising the Louvre Museum exhibition in Tehran.

In conclusion, Mozaffari thanked Institute for Development of Contemporary Art for organizing the Iranian pavilion and resolving the issue of insuring this year’s artworks.

The selected Iranian artists also talked about their artworks at the press conference.

Referring to his installation, titled Life, Reza Lavassani said: This work is related to Persian language and poetry. My ultimate goal is to show Persian poems and language in my pictures.

Samira Alikhanzadeh said that her work, dubbed The Rigid Phantom of Memory, is a follow-up to her previous works, and it is about nothingness and thinking about death.

According to Ali Meer Azimi, the medium of visual arts works between cinema and writing.

My work is based on a literary cinematic concept called Shot Reverse Shot, which is what is being shot and vice versa, he added.

The 58th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale), runs from May 11th to November 24th.